stories addressing losing or finding faith

[neural_girl]

Comments

Comments (with spoilers)

[rampling]

I disliked the movie for the same reasons as the husband of rainewalker. I thought the regaining faith theme was way too heavy handed -- I could feel the author pulling strings behind the scenes as the puzzle pieces fit way too perfectly for my comfort at the end. And the aliens were *so* clichéd (a green hand with claws reaches around a door) and their characteristics and motivations were almost entirely unbelievable. Water harms them -- what would such aliens want with poisoned human bodies then? They can fly spaceships but can't break through doors? Lame. And how convenient that Mel Gibson's wife's dying words are the solution to the final alien conflict. And him suggesting (while holding his son while he's possibly dying from the alien poison) that his son's asthma had a *purpose*. Bleah. I felt that this movie offended my intelligence.

But I'm a person who doesn't like horror movies, so the horror-style parts aren't likely to work on me. And I'm a flaming atheist, so it's not unexpected that I'd bristle at authors who stack the deck in overt ways. I was surprised that the two friends I saw this flick with did like it like you did. They didn't feel that it was heavy-handed. Interesting.

I did like *some* of the family stuff, though. But the flaws in the rest of the movie greatly overshadowed that for me.

Re: Comments (with spoilers)

[neural_girl]

I agree with you about the aliens, though not quite as strongly - but they were definitely the thing that I feel was most flawed about the movie. However, I found it absolutely believable that the former reverend would still be looking for meaning in things. He claimed not to have faith, but it seemed to me as if he'd left the church partly to spite God for taking his wife, not because he'd really completely lost faith (he was questioning, yes, but he was also still talking to God sometimes - "I hate you!"). His wife's dying words were really vague, and I agreed with his initial assessment of them as not meaningful. But he was inspired by those words at a critical time, and saw it as a sign. He also interpreted the timing of his son's asthma very differently than I would have. But given his character and his past, I found his interpretations and actions to be quite believable. I didn't see it as saying that we had to believe in a higher power. I saw it as the story of one man and his family dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy, during strange and interesting times.
I can also see why it might have bothered people. But I (and several other atheist friends) didn't feel hit over the head with anything. Anyway, I'm sorry that so many people felt it was a waste of money (I don't know if you felt it was that bad, but I know some folks who did). That kind of experience sucks.

Re: Comments (with spoilers)

[rampling]

Well, I went in expecting to not like the movie, and perhaps even hate it. I had been warned that I'd probably be offended, especially by the end (I was told). So I knew it was an experiment for me, a way to see what other people liked. So I can't say it was a waste of money, because I did get that. But as entertainment, it rather failed for me and I definitely disliked the movie. I'm surprised that atheists would find this movie enjoyable. But then many atheists believe in stuff I can't stomach, like astrology, feng shui, *very* alternative medicines, etc. I've heard that some atheists can handle the statement "things happen for a reason", while I cannot. I guess I'm both a flaming atheist *and* skeptic, so stuff like this movie hits me rather wrong.

Anyway, the vastly differing enjoyments of this movie, including by atheists, has been an important piece of new information for me. It's important for me to realize just how divergent even atheist feelings about such things can be. Worth the price of the movie ticket -- even if I didn't get what they were intending to sell me.

Re: Comments (with spoilers)

[neural_girl]

But then many atheists believe in stuff I can't stomach, like astrology, feng shui, *very* alternative medicines, etc. I've heard that some atheists can handle the statement "things happen for a reason", while I cannot. I guess I'm both a flaming atheist *and* skeptic, so stuff like this movie hits me rather wrong.

Just to be clear, those things you mention all drive me nuts, too. I'm very impatient with astrology, etc., and the statement "things happen for a reason". My point was that I don't have a problem with a story about someone else's own life choices, if I find them consistent with the character, even if those are not life choices I would make. I enjoy stories about all sorts of different kinds of people, I guess, including some people that I would vehemently disagree with if I met them. I didn't feel like I was supposed to agree with them, necessarily - I was just watching the way that these people behaved in this situation.

Re: Comments (with spoilers)

[rampling]

But I guess my problem with this movie is that it felt to me that the writer was trying to illustrate (in a heavy-handed way) that "things happen for a reason". The major events of the flick are set up that way. If the protagonist came up with stuff in a creative way to solve his problems, that'd be one thing, but mumbling over his potentially dying son something to the effect that "he had asthma for a reason" really badly rubbed me the wrong way. To me, the pieces fit together at the end in a very obviously pre-ordained way that rang very false to my mind.

I also enjoy stories about different kinds of people, and can suspend my disbelief for fun fantasy stories. But this story -- the part about the protagonist's faith -- was presented in an apparently realistic manner. So I couldn't go along for the ride, since I disagreed too strongly.

However, I was offended by the protagonist's rudeness to his brother earlier in the movie, when his brother was scared and looking for reassurance. Mel Gibson's character started out saying reassuring stuff, then just turned around and added that he didn't believe any of that. I thought his timing of that statement was annoying and rude and nasty. I would never do something like that to someone in such a situation. If their faith comforted them (and wasn't lulling them to dangerous levels of inaction) I'd definitely leave it be. Perhaps this scene was another stab at someone's idea of how rude atheists *must* be. Ick.

Re: Comments (with spoilers)

[neural_girl]

Fair enough. And perhaps you are right about the writer's intentions. I'm glad I didn't see it the same way, because I really had fun. But I understand what you are saying.

Re: Comments (with spoilers)

[rampling]

Glad you were able to have fun with the movie. It's annoying for me when I feel left out of the fun of a movie, and people think something's wrong with me for not being able to enjoy a particular flick that they liked. I didn't like "Something About Mary" and had to sit and listen to the audience shriek with delight throughout the flick while I sat in unamused discomfort. I don't like violent flicks or movies with slapstick (explains my problem with "Mary"). Oh well; I live with my differences.